Spade type electric connector



y 3, 1951 r H. w. BATCHE'LLER 2,552,392

SPADE TYPE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Filed Sept. 3, 1949 Z1 FIG. 2 /0 J2 FIG.3

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INVENTOR HUGH W.- BATCHELLER Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,552,392 SPADE TYPE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Hugh W. Batcheller,Newton Highlands, Mass. Application September 3, 1949, Serial No.113,943

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an electric connector by which the ends of twowires can be connected and disconnected electrically. As is usual, theconnector consists of two cooperating members, each of which is securedto the end of one of the wires to be connected. Many connectors haveheretofore been produced for connecting and disconnecting conductors.The object of the present invention is to provide an improved connectorcharacterized by economy of manufacture, reliability in operation andimproved interfacial contact to reduce the electrical resistance of theconnector.

The connector embodying the invention is of the type described in mycopending application, Serial No. 67,488, filed December 27, 1948, andconsists of male and female members, the male member comprisingessentially a flat plate or tongue to be received by the female member.The latter has a plane bottom portion with overhanging flanges arrangedto press the male member strongly against the bottom portion to ensurefirm interfacial contact. This is done by shaping the overhangingflanges of the female member so that each has a low point with aclearance above the bottom slightly less than the thickness of the maletongue. The side walls supporting the flanges are preferably cut away toreduce their stiffness and to make it possible for the flanges to yieldslightly upward when the tongue is thrust thereunder.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be hadto the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of WhiChFigure l is a perspective view of the two members of a connectorembodying the-invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan View of the connector with the members connected; and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The female member of the connector can conveniently be made by shaping ablank which has been cut from sheet or strip stock of suitable metal,such as copper, brass, or bronze. This member consists of a flat bottomportion having side walls l2 and I 4 bent up at right angles thereto.These side walls are inturned to form flanges l6 and I8 which overhangportions of the bottom plate. The metal stock from which the blank forthis member is cut is preferably of suflicient thickness to provide aconsiderable degree of rigidity in an object of the size of the membersof the connectorshown on the drawing. In order to increase theresilience of the side walls l2 and I4, these walls may be cut awaybetween the bottom plate l0 and the flanges l6 and [8 to form openings20 and 22, leaving the end portions of the walls as supporting elementsfor the flanges. The effect of cutting away a portion of each wall is toreduce its stiffness so that the flanges can yield more readily whenpressure is brought to bear on them. While it is convenient to cut awaythe central portion of each wall, as shown, the end portions can be cutaway instead, leaving the central portion to support the flange.

The flanges l6 and I8 are shaped so that they slope longitudinally andare in the form of a V with a very wide angle, the apex of the V-preferably coming at or near the mid-point of each flange. In otherwords, each flange slopes gradually downward from both ends toward anintermediate point of minimum clearance from the bottom ID.

The female member is also provided with a tubular portion 24 adapted toreceive the end portion of copper wire 26 and to be pressed upon thewire so as to grip it. A tubular portion 28 of larger diameter may beprovided also to receive the end portion of the insulation 29 of thewire. The tubular portions 24 and 28 are preferably integral with thebottom II].

The male member includes a plane tongue 30 having a width slightly lessthan the distance between side walls l2 and I 4 of the female member andhaving a thickness slightly greater than the minimum clearance betweenthe flanges and the bottom of the female member. The male member ispreferably, but not necessarily, provided with indentations 32 in one orboth faces thereof, located to receive the points of minimum clearanceof the flanges l6 and [8 when the two members of the connector arejoined together. Laterally projecting ears 34 may be formed on the malemember to act as stops and by engaging the ends of the walls l2 and [4when the member has been thrust to its proper position under the flangesl6 and I8.

The male member is preferably provided with tubular elements 36 and 38which are adapted to be pressed on the stripped end portion of the wire40 and on its insulation 42, respectively.

Since the faces of the tongue 30 are plane and uninterrupted except forthe small recesses 32, there is a large area of interfacial contactbetween the bottom of the tongue 30 and the floor of the bottom portionll] of the female member. The stiff resilience of the side walls l2 andI4 and of the flanges l6 and I8 causes the flanges to press the tongue3|] strongly against the floor of the female member so that a goodelectrical connection is had between the members if the interfacialsurfaces are kept clean. The lowermost points of the flanges enter therecesses 32 in the upper face of the tongue 30 and tend to hold themembers in their assembled relation so as to prevent accidentaldisconnection.

I claim;

1. An electric connector 'consisting'of male "and female members ofsheet metal, the female mem-'- her having a flat bottom portion withbent-up side-= walls and inturned flanges overhangingsaid-bot tomportion, a substantial mid-portion of each 15 side wall being cut away,the portionofeach said flange above the cut-away portion of: thelcorrewsponding side wall being downwardly bent to a V-shape with the angle ofthe V approximately at the mid-point of the flange, said male mem- 20bar-comprising aflat -tongue slightlythicker than the clearance betweeneach said angle and the bottom surface beneath, said'male member hav ingindentations'extending in its face to receive said angles.-

2. A female" member of an electric connector, comprising a flat sheetmetal bottom portion with bent-up side walls and inturned flangesoverhanging said bottom, said flanges each being sazNumber shaped toslope longitudinally'to form awide-- angled'v whereby the underface ofeach flange 25v Number Name Date 1,995,115 Douglas Mar. 19, 1935'2,257,317 Wade Sept. 30, 1941 FOREIGN I PATENTS Country Date 539,811England Sept; 24, 1941 slopes gradually downward from the ends thereofto an intermediate point of minimum clearance from the surface of saidbottom, said side walls having portions cut away to reduce theirstiffness.

3. A female member of an electric connector, comprising a single pieceof sheet metal having a plane bottom portion with bent-up side walls andinturned flanges on the side walls overhangingisaid bottom, each sidewall having a substantial portion thereofcut away between the endsthereof whereby the stiffness of the side walls is reduced, each saidflange being shaped to. a-rfwide-angled 7v form whereby the undersurface slopes gradually from the ends of the flange toan intermediatepoint of minimum clearance over. said bottom. 1

HUGE W. BATCHELLER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS

